Abstract

The effect of dipicolinic acid (DPA) or its calcium chelate (CaDPA) on the spectral characteristics of nucleic acids was examined. Dipicolinic acid was found to displace ethidium gromide from DNA; this indicates that it may bind by intercalation. On interaction with DNA, the ultraviolet absorption spectrum revealed downfield shifts and caused progressive diminution in both DNA and dipicolinate chromophores. The strength and type of interaction may be ion-specific but not discriminatory to any type of base pairing. Spectral analysis also indicated that both dipicolinate and calcium dipicolinate bound to different RNA species, although the mechanism of binding was not elucidated. We conclude that the interaction of dipicolinate/ calcium dipicolinate with nucleic acids is a mechanism whereby water can be removed from spore polynucleotides, increasing their stability to denaturation.

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